Steam to being sending 'the game' to hard drives a week before it ships

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Originally posted by Headwires
"Here's to hoping it'll be put into action soon"

thought they was goin to do it with CZ but it flopped big style on reviews
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The Counter-Strike guys told me that they're expecting CZ to go gold in about a week. I know this seems like a random statement, but I am not making it up.
 
Originally posted by femur
i have to say im pretty skeptical about a pre-release download. i just don't understand the purpose. why use bandwidth to download a (presumably) huge file to people's HD's when they may or may not even want it ? i mean, this isnt a little update or 10mb mod or anything. if it was going to save time or server load, then i could understand it. as it is though, people who where plannig to buy retail (as opposed to downloading) would opt for the download instead if they thought there was a chance they could play even one minute sooner, creating even more of a demand on the content servers.
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I would imagine that when they're ready to have people start downloading the data, they'll give us all the info we need to make a decision to go Steam or wait for retail. That way, they can just get your credit card info for either subscription or the full HL2 download and start sending it. I'm sure the subscription could be set to not actually start ticking until the game was actually released...
 
Would this go towards everyone who has the Steam client or those with certain caches?
 
Originally posted by Goombatommy
speaking of Steam, can anyone log on right now? It wont let me log on, says Steam is down or internet connection down (obviouslly this one is excluded cuz im posting here).
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I've been having the same problem since I dled Steam 1.0 yesterday, I haven't been able to log onto it once yet!
 
Originally posted by Ghost Freeman
Would this go towards everyone who has the Steam client or those with certain caches?
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I would assume you would only need the basic Steam files
 
Woah. Somehow I don't like the sound of this. Loads of people are gonna go steam once they know this, so that'll be even more of a strain on the server. It also means they've got to get the bugs out of steam real soon. I'm still gonna go with retail. Last time I pre-ordered a game, I got it the day before the release date, so who knows? Not to sound sceptical or anything, but to do this, wouldn't the game have to be finished? Like REAL soon? Maybe valve isn't telling us something.
 
Originally posted by Sushi
I've been having the same problem since I dled Steam 1.0 yesterday, I haven't been able to log onto it once yet!
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I mean it says unable to connect to Steam network. I have v1.0. Do I need to download that 730 MB file download?
 
I strongly doubt anybody is going to be able to hack the encryption on HL2. For a start, you don't have a clue what kind of encryption they're using, what kind of key they're using, and you don't even have a clue what the data should look like once it is decrypted. Also, they probably won't send the EXE until the 30th anyways, so it will be a waste of time unless you like looking at textures or mdls...

Also, I reckon they'll start pre-loading to anybody who asks for it, they're not going to dump the whole download onto everyone running Steam without asking.
 
Originally posted by Ghost Freeman
So? The encryption can be broken.

Not that I'm gonna do it.

Mods, dont ban me, im just stating a point that this can become hacker heaver and HL2 will be wared before its retail release.
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Why is it that people always think that you can break encryption algorithms in a finger snip? I wish they'd all go to hell.
 
Originally posted by jabberwock95
Woah. Somehow I don't like the sound of this. Loads of people are gonna go steam once they know this, so that'll be even more of a strain on the server. It also means they've got to get the bugs out of steam real soon. I'm still gonna go with retail. Last time I pre-ordered a game, I got it the day before the release date, so who knows? Not to sound sceptical or anything, but to do this, wouldn't the game have to be finished? Like REAL soon? Maybe valve isn't telling us something.
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My guess is they're practically done already...and will begin uploading the game content starting next week
 
Originally posted by Ghost Freeman
Ok cod, sorry for lashing out and attacking you.

I'm still not going to believe what you said about Steam and HL2 until Valve can confirm it.
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Geez, if you're going to believe anyone on the forum, you might as well believe spitcodfry. He's got "street cred" and has probably talked to Valve more recently that any news site/mag.
 
About the log on problems. I think it depends where you are. Steam must assign different servers to different places, and if you take a look at the steam website, about 5 of them are down right now. Where are you?
 
I hope all the people who 'guaranteed' a delay are reading this! Especially Fragmaster! Ha Ha Ha!!
 
Originally posted by Democritus
Geez, if you're going to believe anyone on the forum, you might as well believe spitcodfry. He's got "street cred" and has probably talked to Valve more recently that any news site/mag.
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Why thank you :)
 
Originally posted by jabberwock95
Woah. Somehow I don't like the sound of this. Loads of people are gonna go steam once they know this, so that'll be even more of a strain on the server. It also means they've got to get the bugs out of steam real soon. I'm still gonna go with retail. Last time I pre-ordered a game, I got it the day before the release date, so who knows? Not to sound sceptical or anything, but to do this, wouldn't the game have to be finished? Like REAL soon? Maybe valve isn't telling us something.
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/me prays that Valve doesn't "catastrophically underestimate the aggregate demand" of the the community again.
 
Did I miss something? Didn't they "just" say that 1 week before HL2 will be released Steam will begin to download it, not anything about WHEN HL2 will be released?
 
I hope steam will not stall for 3 days like it did with CS 1.6.

I think they should add a "you want to buy HL2 via steam once it's out?" button. If you click it, it already downloads the first hundreds of megs HL2 stuff (not labeled that way, just in a cache) while you play CS1.6 or have Steam idle.

Once the game is offically out, you already would have most of the files on the HDD, freeing bandwide for others and sparing time for you.
 
I don't believe it until I hear it directly from Valve (just like anything else posted on these forums).
 
This is good news thanks Cod : )

And by the way, it makes perfect sense: you will get an option to choose wether to download the cache files or not, they're not going to upload it to everyone that would just eat up bandwidth.
 
3 days so before its DL without we should be able to know its DLiing :)
 
I wonder if you'll pre-order Half-Life 2 and start downloading it with the last bit needed to actually play sent out on the 30th?
 
since the game is gonna be out for users who payed to play over steam early next week.. i hope someone can post up some new pics or even RECORD footage of some nice physics in action using fraps or somethin hehe .. this would hold me out until the game comes out on the 30th in stores :)
 
Obviously some people are still too skeptical about everything...
 
Originally posted by Mountain Man
I wonder if you'll pre-order Half-Life 2 and start downloading it with the last bit needed to actually play sent out on the 30th?
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I think they are sending out EVERYTHING thats needed, and hoping no one breaks the encryption until the 30th. Maybe youll need to log on to steam to have it unencrypted though.
 
Originally posted by illspirit44
.. i hope someone can post up some new pics or even RECORD footage of some nice physics in action using fraps or somethin hehe ..
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This would be quite difficult seeing as it's encrypted
 
Someone please get to Gabe and have him confirm this.


AND WHERE DO I SIGN UP VALVE????


I WANT MY HL2 NOW!!!



*cries in the corner*
 
Don't confuse the hackability of most publicly distributed media with this case. The thing about encryption and security is that its all about hiding, disguising, and keeping people out--but with an eye towards letting someone back in. Most things get hacked eventually because they're meant to be played and used by the public: the work-arounds usually involve the fact that the content is MEANT to be unlocked--being able to look at what you're supposed get makes cracking encryption more doable by orders of magnitude. In this case, until the paying public gets the keys, the non-paying public won't have much luck (without supercomputers and thousands of years).
 
Originally posted by illspirit44
NOT POSSIBLE???

ok lets see.. u have fraps RUNNING in the background of ur pc while hl2 is running via steam right? u press f9 while in the game.. and bam its recording... for pics u hit the print screen and u got urself a pic.. or u could choose the option of using a CAMCORDER ..
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Every Half-Life 2 related file will be encrypted until the 30th...maybe except for the readme
 
ag3nt187: Confirm his own words? spitcodfry was there, there is even a pic with Gabe and him side-by-side. Why should spitcodfry talking crap now?
 
NOT POSSIBLE???

ok lets see.. u have fraps RUNNING in the background of ur pc while hl2 is running via steam right? u press f9 while in the game.. and bam its recording... for pics u hit the print screen and u got urself a pic.. or u could choose the option of using a CAMCORDER ..
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I think his point was that you can't play HL2 while it's encrypted.
 
Originally posted by illspirit44
NOT POSSIBLE???

ok lets see.. u have fraps RUNNING in the background of ur pc while hl2 is running via steam right? u press f9 while in the game.. and bam its recording... for pics u hit the print screen and u got urself a pic.. or u could choose the option of using a CAMCORDER ..
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You won't be able to play the game until the set release date when the game will decode itself and allow you to play.

EDIT: Sry, everythings getting posted up so fast I didn't have time to see it was already explained.
 
so wait.. hl2 will be ON UR PC before the game comes out but u cant play it cause its encrypted right? Thats torture.. i hope someone hacks the **** outta it.. i wouldnt mind seeing some new info about the game.. lol
 
OMG i dunno if i can believe this...
.
I'd be skeptical if it wasn't Spitcodfry saying all this - ive chatted with him in other threads and he seems like such a genuinely honest and nice guy....

It looks like yet again Valve are suprising us. I don't think anyone saw this one coming, but it's a damn good idea - it eases the bandwidth problem for everyone and in addition to that it will allow Valve to see the load on their servers after the inital rush of people attempt to download HL2, they can then prepare properly for the 'real' rush on the 30th...

Geez what a bombshell!

This does of course almost give 100% proof that it will come out on the 30th _IF_ we are able to start the download around the 23rd... No matter how strong the encryption methods Valve are using they would not allow people to have 'unreleased' software long before the official release. There is always a chance that someone will crack it or somebody at/in contact with Valve will leak the code/exe...

This is a real suprise....a good one
 
Originally posted by illspirit44
since the game is gonna be out for users who payed to play over steam early next week.. i hope someone can post up some new pics or even RECORD footage of some nice physics in action using fraps or somethin hehe .. this would hold me out until the game comes out on the 30th in stores :)
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Sorry, but you don't actually get to PLAY the game a week before. You just get the encrypted files. Valve will only unencrypt them or send you the rest on the 30th. Sorry, no vids for us.

EDIT: Whoops sorry, you already twigged.
 
There EVIL hackers in this world.. im sure the game will be hacked and released to the public before the 30th.. not that ill dl it .. hehe :cheese:
 
Originally posted by Magicpants
It looks like yet again Valve are suprising us. I don't think anyone saw this one coming, but it's a damn good idea - it eases the bandwidth problem for everyone and in addition to that it will allow Valve to see the load on their servers after the inital rush of people attempt to download HL2, they can then prepare properly for the 'real' rush on the 30th...
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Exactly so...its the best possible way to distribute it without having serious bandwidth issues from the content servers IMO
 
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